The inspiration for starting up the ‘Foolish Poet’ and then ‘The Foolish Poet Press’ was in response to many kind comments about my poetry from friends. Initially I wrote under the pseudonym ‘Foolish Poet’, with the true author only known by those who inspired the poems; an idea inspired by Fernando Pessoa, who wrote poetry with many different names and voices. Once I decided to go public with my poems, owning them myself - a full emergence as a poet, I was then constantly asked ‘Why don’t you publish them?’
After wrestling with my intentions as a poet I decided that the aim of making money may impact my poetry and change the intention. Finding inspiration in Albert Camus’s call for ‘keeping writers free’ I decided to create a Publishing Company to publish and distribute collections of poems. In creating the company I am indebted to Clare, my partner, for being willing to finance our new venture with our family income.
Though all Poems I write are shared freely via www.foolishpoet.com the collections are a different expression: a new creative act of combining poems into themes, a different conversational narrative where many poems become a new meaningful whole. In the creation of the collections I have had in mind special people in my life. The first Book published was a limited edition printed version which was hand made and shared with expressions of care, love and appreciation to those I hold dear.
Once beyond the creation of the first book a new energy was created in partnership with an emerging poet, Parul Singhal. The ‘Foolish Poet Press’ is now set up to promote new poetic voices, like Parul, who want to engage in a new type of publication. In addition, a fresh flow of poetic inspiration has dawned with the translation of poets I want to understand more: Mahadevi Varma, Paul Valery, Stefan George, and of course Fernando Pessoa.
In the spirit of our age of value creation the aim of the company is to create meaningful value in poetry with a financial value used for positive and progressive ends: giving life to a new conversation through poetry. The Foolish Poet press will contribute all to charitable causes in India and the United Kingdom, so continuing the themes of my poetry - humanities collective spirit at its best.
In the generous act there is completion of another conversational circle, a weaving together of poetic and commercial intentions. In the creative act others generosity of spirit inspire the words, a collective act. After the dance with the ‘muse’ her poems are made. The true meaning is made in response to freely sharing the poems with those who inspired them: the poet can only make sense of the poetic act in response to a reader. What better reader than those that inspired the initial words: a continuing conversation. In sharing a poem beyond the initial ‘poetic moment’ poetry has the potential to be universal; Everyday conversations and acts having lasting meaning for people who find another meaning beyond the first ‘private’ moment. In the meaning made, beyond the initial creative act, a human act of togetherness is born in the poetic onward journey amongst new readers. Finally generosity from any value created. A full human circle of care.
Collecting those single ‘poetic conversations’ into the broader narrative of 'work, life and loves' is the joy of writing a collection and then selling a ’collective meaning’ we all own. The final step is to convert any monetary gains into a collective good, another movement beyond the self - the aim of the poet - and another onward conversation. Money will given to good causes.
To ensure that as much money as possible goes forward the founders take no income. Making use of freely available platforms, to minimise costs, and with production costs kept low the poets of the ‘Foolish Poet Press’ commit to using gains from Poetry for moral good: our intentions as poets embodied in the company principles.
Should friends and other’s join us in this act of kindness, through the purchase of poetry collections, we would be honoured.
Should other poets wish to join in our new poetic ways please get in touch.